Photographic apparatus



March 31, 1931. J, BLAls 1,798,828 7 PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed May 7. 1929 Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES JEAN ADELARI) RICHARD BLAIS, OF KAPUSKASING, ONTARIO, CANADA PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Application filed May 7, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in photographic apparatus with particular reference to apparatus for fixing photographic prints. it is an object of the invention to devise an improved apparatus for this purpose whereby the fixing of prints may be auto matically carried out. By fixing the prints automatically the operation is not only more perfectly but more expeditiously performed thus saving considerable labour and attention on the part of the operator.

A further object is to provide an apparatus whereby this operation may be very 5 conveniently carried out and which will be of reasonably simple and inexpensive construction.

The invention conists in the construction and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through an apparatus constructed in accord ance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical section through the centre of a tub forming part of the apparatus and showing parts mounted centrally in the tub.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on the line lt of Figure 3.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

prises a lower frame portion A upon which is mounted a cylindrical tub B.

The frame A may be of any suitable form and, as shown, is cylindrical. being formed at 0 the top with an annular ring or band 10.

The tub B which is also cylindrical may be made of enamelled steel or stoneware or any other suitable material and the bottom of the tub is formed with a concentric circular de- 45. pression 11.

Extending upwardly from the circumference of the depression 11 is a vertical cylindrical wall 12 which is provided with perforations 13 and this wall may, if desired,

be made integral with the tub B, The Wal In the form shown, the apparatus co1n-.

Serial No. 361,127.

12 extends upwardly over only a part of the height of the tub and forms a concentric cylindrical chamber 24. at the bottom thereof.

The bottom of the tub is provided with a central orifice 14 and a fixed tube 15 registering with the orifice 14 is secured to the bottom of the tub and makes a leak proof connection therewith.

Extending through the fixed tube 15 is a vertical shaft 16, the upper projecting end of which has an enlarged head 17 formed with flats 18 (see Figure l) The under face of this enlargement bears upon the upper end of the tube 15 while below the enlargement the shaft 16 is formed with a cylindrical portion 19 adapted to fit into the upper end of the tube and form a bearing therewith. The enlargement 17 and portion 19 are provided with a grease passageway 20 to the upper end of which is connected a grease cup 21..

Superimposed on the fixed tube 15 and surrounding the same is a rotatable tube 22 the upper end of which is formed with flats 23 adapted to engage with the flats 18 on the enlargement 17 to form a driving connection between the shaft 16 and the rotatable tube 22. This tube 22 extends downwardly into the chamber 24: and has secured to the lower portion thereof vanes or paddles 25 which may be curved, as shown in Figure 2. These paddles are located within the chamber 24 and their bottoms are substantially level with the bottom of the tub.

A cover or lid 36 is provided for the cham ber 24 and rests upon the top of the cylindrical wall 12, being a close fit thereon. In Figure 2 this lid 36 is removed.

Connected to the lower projecting end of the shaft 16 is a pinion 26 and suspended from the band 10 of'the frame A are U-shaped depending brackets 27 in which is journalled a horizontal shaft 28 having a pinion 29 mounted on one end thereof and adapted to mesh with the-pinion 26. Upon the other end of the shaft 28 is mounted a pulley 30 which is connected by a belt 81 to a motor 32 supported upon the frame A.

The tub A is hingedly mounted upon the frame B by a suitable hinge 33 so that the tub may be tilted upon the frame.

The construction and operation of the apparatus is as follows:

In assembling the apparatus, the shaft 16 would be inserted downwardly through the fixed tube 15 and the pinion 26 would then be secured to its lower end. lVhen the shaft is thus mounted, it will be evident that the enlargement 17 bears upon the upper end of the tube 15 and the shaft 16 is rotatable within the tube 15. lVith the tub in its normal lowered position, shown in Figure 1, the pinions. 26 and 29 operatively engage each other.

The rotatable tube 22 with its paddles 25 is next superimposed on the fixed tube 15 and, when in position, the flats 23 at the upper end of this tube register with the flats 18 on the enlargement 17 so as to form a driving connection between the shaft and the tube 22.

It'will be noted that when assembled the paddles 25 are located within the cylindrical chamber 24.

After the movable tube 22 is in position, the grease cup 21 is connected and the lid 36 put in place.

It will be apparent that when thus assembled the apparatus is as illustrated in Figure 1 and upon operation of the motor 32 the rotatable tube 22 will be driven so that the paddles 25 will rotate within the cylindrical chamber 24 at any desired speed. The fixing solution 34 is next placed within the tub and the prints to be fixed put in.

Upon operation of the motor 32 the paddles 25 will be rapidly rotated within the cylindris cal chamber 24 and by means of the communication between this chamber 24 and the remainder of the tub, through the perforations 13 in the wall 12, the contents of the fixing bath in the body of the tub will be more slowly agitated. In this way, while the agitation in the body of the tub will not be sufficiently rapid to injure the prints in any way, the prints and the fixing solution will he kept in continuous agitation so that the prints will be in constant motion. The fixing operation will thus be very efficiently carried out and completed in the minimum of time and with practically no attention necessary from the operator.

it is essential that the tub and the various other parts of the mechanism with which the fixing solution comes in contact should be made of material-which'is acid-proof. 7

By means of the grease cup 21 and grease passageway 20 lubrication is provided within the fixed tube 15. a

When it is desired to remove the fixing solution from the tub it is only necessary to tilt the tub about its hinged connection 33.

The removal of the fixing solution from the tub may thus be convenientlycarried out, and in order to facilitate the tilting operation a handle 35 is provided on the tub.

It will be noted that the driving connection from the motor does not in any way interfere with the tilting of the tub since when the tub is tilted the pinions 26 and 29 merely disengage from each other.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention provides an improved apparatus for fixing photographic prints whereby the objects set forth are attained.

Various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims, and therefore the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

It is desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are disclosed in the prior art or are set forth in the accompanying claims.

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. A device for fixing photographic prints comprising a frame, a cylindrical tub supported thereon, a depression in the bottom of said tub, a cylindrical perforated wall resting in said depression and in registry therewith, a cover for said wall to form a chamber there with, paddles in said chamber and means for driving said paddles to cause circulation of liquid contained in the tub.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cylindrical tub supported thereon and hingedly connected thereto whereby the tub may be tilted, upon the frame to empty the contents thereof, a cylindrical perforated wall concentrically located within the tub and extending upwardly from the bottom thereof and forming a cylindrical chamber at the bottom of the tub, a fixed tube secured to the bottom of the tub and extending axially thereinto, a vertical shaft extending through said tube and projecting from each end thereof, a rotatable tube surrounding. the fixed tube and having driving connection with the upper projecting end of the shaft, paddles carried by the rotating tube and located within the cylindrical chamber, a pinion carried at the lower end of the shaft, a horizontal shaft supported from the frame, a second pinion carried by said horizontal shaft, said pinions adapted to operatively engage each other whenthe tub is in normal position and to disengage when the tub is tilted, and driving means operatively connected to the horizontal shaft. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JEAN ADELARD RICHARD BLAIS. 

